Safety buoyant platform

ABSTRACT

The Device is created to be used in the conditions of emergency services parking areas, warehouses, storages, parking etc. to ensure the safety and security of goods and property during the floods of any nature. The device consists of two parts—a movable floating platform and a fixed holding structure. The device is being mounted indoors or in the open countryside. The top surface of the movable part of the Device is designed for placing of an objects and property, which should be saved from the effects of the liquid. During flooding of a an area the mobile part of the device pops up together with objects and property, placed on the upper surface, preventing them from entering into the liquid. The fixed part of the device does not allow to the movable part to move through the specified limits of movements and returns the movable part to the normal position after withdrawal of the liquid.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The safety buoyant platform (hereinafter referred to as—the Device) relates to the field of passive safety systems of commercial and private buildings and maintenance areas.

2. Description of the Related Art

The Device is used to prevent damage to property from the effects of liquids that can fill a room or area in which the Device is applied. Specifically, Device prevents objects and property on its upper surface from immersion in fluid, move up them to the level above the surface of the liquid with floating part of the Device. The Device is developed to be used in both indoor (emergency services parking areas, warehouses, parking lots, storages etc.), and the open countryside.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Present Device is designed to prevent damage to a property and things (including vehicles), which may be caused by the action of the fluid, in particular water during flooding of any nature. The principle of operation of the Device bases on capacity of a solid to remain afloat in a liquid if density of that liquid is higher than a solid's density.

Main elements of the Device are: floating platform (100) and holding structure (200) (FIG. 1).

Floating platform (100) is a movable element of the Device. Floating platform (100) has positive buoyancy, allowing it to remain on the surface of the liquid holding objects and property on its upper surface and avoiding them from falling into a liquid.

The floating platform (100) in a normal position (there is no liquid around) takes a place in the recess of the holding structure (200).

When the level of liquid on the device installation place rises up the floating platform (100) pops up directly over the holding structure (200), avoiding objects and property from falling into the liquid, which are located on the top surface of the floating platform (100).

Holding structure (200) is a fixed part of the Device. The holding structure (200) provides the free movement of the floating platform (100) in a vertical plane, but prevents uncontrolled movement of the floating platform (100) in a horizontal plane. Thus floating platform (100) is staying always above the holding structure (200) and inevitably returns to its normal position when fluid level falls down.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 Perspective of the device in the normal position

FIG. 2 Perspective of the device position in the floating position

FIG. 3 Perspective of the floating platform component kit

FIG. 4 Perspective of the floating platform assembly

FIG. 5 Perspective of the holding structure

FIG. 6 Perspective of the coupling

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF INVENTION

The Device consists of the following elements: floating platform (100) as shown in FIG. 4, comprising the frame (101) and the floating element (102) as shown in FIG. 3, slides (108) with rollers (109) as shown in FIG. 6; the holding structure (200) comprising the base (206) and guide bars (207) as shown in FIG. 5.

Floating platform (100) is the movable element of the devices. Upper surface of the floating platform (100) is designed to be loaded with a property and items.

The Frame (101) as shown in FIG. 3 represents the spatial structure of the load-bearing elements. The load-bearing elements are made from steel or other suitable material. The frame (101) provides rigidity of the floating platform (100) in the floating and normal positions. Furthermore, in the normal position of the floating platform (100), the frame (101) assumes the weight of objects held on the upper surface of the platform (100) and the floating element (102) and transmits them to the surface of the holding structure (200), providing a sturdy stationary position of the floating platform (100) and preventing the floating element (102) of the deformation and damage. The frame (101) is equipped with locks (110) which are used for fixing belts, nets etc., fixing the objects loaded on the top surface of the floating platform (100).

Slides (108) are mounted on the frame (101) of the floating platform (100) and equipped with rollers (109) as shown in FIG. 6. The guide bars (207) skip through the Slides (108). The Slides (108) are able freely move along the guide bars (207) as shown in FIG. 2, which ensures smooth movement of the floating platform (100) in a vertical plane, allowing to the floating platform (100) to pop up during flooding. At the same time, the guide bars (207) do not allow the floating platform (100) to displace in a horizontal plane. Thus, the floating platform (100) rises and falls with the level of liquid remaining above the holding structure (200).

Rollers (109) are mounted on the slides (108) and prevent jamming of the Slides (108) on the guide bars (207), which can be caused by skewness position of the floating platform (100) due to the uneven distribution of mass of objects placed on top surface of the platform (100). Rollers (109) attached to the slides (108) such that they can roll freely along the surface of guide bars (207) and does not allow to the slides (108) fall into contact with the guide bars (207).

The floating element (102), which is placed under the frame (101) as shown in FIG. 4 is an array of material or a substance with a density lower than the density of liquid it is designed to be used in. Also, airtight container of the desired shape and size filled with air or any another substance and having a positive buoyancy in considered liquid can be used as the floating element (102). In this case the frame (101) can be absent as a part of the floating platform (100) if material stiffness of the floating element is enough to carry weight of objects and items, placed on its upper surface.

The floating element (102) provides ascent of the floating platform (100), as shown in FIG. 2, during the flooding of buildings or areas which the device is located in. Floating element (102) is attached to the frame (101) to be able uniformly transmits to the frame the force (101) caused by the buoyancy.

A base (206) as shown in FIG. 5, is made of concrete or other material of suitable strength. The base (206) serves as the foundation for the devices. In its normal position the floating platform (100) locates in the recess of the base (206), as shown in FIG. 1. The base (206) is mounted in the floor of surrounding structures or soil in such a way that the upper surface of the floating platform (100) in its normal position is situated on the level of a surface which surrounds the device. Walls of the base (206) prevent the destruction of the recess where device is mounted. A drain hole (205) is provided in the base (206), as shown in FIG. 5, for discharging liquid from the interior of the base (206) and the floating platform (100) takes its normal position easily after the flood has finished.

The guide bars (207) are fixedly mounted in the base (206), as shown in FIG. 5, and provide (100) smooth movement for the floating platform along the appropriate trajectory during the its ascent. The length of the guide bars (207) limits the height of ascent for the floating platform (100). The length of the guide bars (207) is chosen based on the level of flood liquid that had been presented in the past on the territory where the devices is being installed.

The number and location of guide bars (207) are selected during the design due to sizes of the floating platform (100) and loads arising during operation of the Device.

Thus the design of the Devices provides ascent floating platform (100) during the flooding and return to its normal position after leaving the liquid. This feature allows to ensure that the safety of all the goods and property, located on top of the floating platform (100) during flooding, saving them from the direct action of a fluid and preventing their entrainment into fluid flow. Lifting capacity of the floating platform (100) depends from a volume of the floating element (102) and must be selected during designing based on the weight of articles intended for loading on the device at the time of flooding. 

1. The Device is intended to prevent the action of water or other liquids, wherein it is assumed to use the device, to objects or items which are placed on top surface of the Device, comprising:
 1. Floating platform that includes the frame and the floating element equipped with at least one slide to move strictly along the guide bars. The floating platform, as an integral construction, has positive buoyancy relative to the fluid in which it is supposed to float.
 2. The frame and the floating element can be structurally designed as one integral piece, if the material of which the floating element is made of sufficient strength.
 3. Holding structure which comprises a box and at least one guide bar. The box can be as an independent unit as part of the surrounding building structures which perform functions of the box—hold at least one guide rod, place the floating platform in its recess. The guide bars provide moving for the floating platform along a strictly predetermined path during the ascent and return a floating platform in the normal position after the departure of the liquid. 